NYC Mayor Mamdani speaks with Trump, terms US military action in Venezuela 'act of war'
New York (PTI): New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said he spoke with President Donald Trump “directly” to register his opposition to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by the US military, as he termed the unilateral attack on a sovereign nation an “act of war”.
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York and are being brought to the city to face the charges against them.
Responding to a question on the situation in Venezuela and Maduro’s capture at a press conference, Mamdani said he “called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act".
ALSO READ: Congress and NCP (SP) to contest separately in Nagpur civic polls
“I registered my opposition. I made it clear and we left it at that,” Mamdani said, giving no details of what Trump’s response to him was.
The extraordinary international development has come just two days after Mamdani was sworn-in as New York City Mayor.
Mamdani was briefed Saturday morning by his administration officials, including his chief of staff and the police commissioner, on the US military capture of the Venezuelan president and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.
Mamdani said the “blatant pursuit of regime change” impacts New Yorkers, including Venezuelans who live in the city.
“Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” the newly sworn-in mayor said in a statement.
“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance,” Mamdani said.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a post on X that Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York.
Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the US.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi said, as she thanked Trump for “having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers”.
Meanwhile, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said while Maduro is an “illegitimate dictator” who has inflicted immense suffering on the Venezuelan people, that reality does not give any president a blank check to use military force without Congress authorisation.
“By acting without congressional authorisation and publicly asserting US control over another sovereign nation, President Trump is abusing presidential power and undermining the Constitution’s separation of powers,” Krishnamoorthi said.
He said the Trump Administration must immediately account for the safety of US personnel, disclose whether there were any casualties and fully and immediately brief Congress.
“The president has now stated that the United States will run Venezuela, committing the country to open-ended responsibility. Neither the American people nor Congress approved that course. This use of force and claimed control erode the rule of law, embolden Moscow and Beijing to push boundaries elsewhere, weaken America’s credibility, and ultimately make Americans less safe,” Krishnamoorthi said.
I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 3, 2026
Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and…
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bengaluru: Karnataka mulls ban social media for children below 16, says Priyank Kharge
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is considering a ban on the use of social media for children below the age of 16, taking inspiration from steps taken by countries such as Australia and Finland, The New Indian Express reported.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and IT-BT, Priyank Kharge, informed the Assembly on Friday that the issue is under discussion. Responding to senior BJP leader and MLA S Suresh Kumar, who expressed concern over the abuse of social media, Kharge admitted that it is a serious issue.
Finland has taken action, the UK is considering similar steps, and Australia imposed a ban two months ago. “We too in the state have launched a digital detoxification programme for responsible use of AI and social media. The IT-BT department, in collaboration with Meta, has been running it by involving over three lakh children and one lakh teachers,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
Kharge said that in March 2025, the government launched the ‘Beyond Screens’ programme to help people dealing with digital addiction. The initiative was announced during the GAFX 2025 summit, along with the opening of a ‘Beyond Screens’ digital detox centre and the launch of an official website.
The detox centre serves as a dedicated hub for resources, counselling and intervention programmes for healthier digital habits.
During the Assembly session, Suresh Kumar also referred to the Economic Survey 2025-26, which was presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The survey recommended that governments consider age-based restrictions on social media use for children.
